Review Summary

The domino that sets off a cascade of falling pieces in “Why Stop Now?” is a Catch-22 moment based on an incident witnessed by Ron Nyswaner, one of the movie’s creators, while working as a volunteer in a detox unit. When Penny Bloom (Melissa Leo), a cocaine addict, is badgered by her son, Eli (Jesse Eisenberg), to enter rehab, she is turned away for lack of insurance and because her urine sample shows no signs of drugs. Surreptitiously advised that she will be admitted if she comes back with “dirty” urine, Penny and Eli do as suggested and go directly to her dealer, Sprinkles (Tracy Morgan), whose supply has run dry. — Stephen Holden